Getting my first customers

My business started about 32 years ago when I was still in high school. I started learning about photography when I was 13 years old. I read everything about it that I could get my hands on. I spent hours in the darkroom working with smelly chemicals printing images and learning how the process worked. When I was 16 I was asked to photograph a wedding. It went fairly well, surprisingly. I decided to do more. My parents were very supportive of anything I did. So I setup a phone line in my bedroom with an answering machine. I setup a wedding photography business before I had my driver’s license. I photographed weddings and senior photos until I graduated from high school then got a job at a camera store for a few years. After the camera store I worked at a photo studio for a year then got a job running a film processing lab for about 9 years. After leaving the film lab I got a  job at our local daily newspaper. I started out as a photographer then after a short time was promoted to head of the department. I stayed at the paper for 12 years then decided to open my own studio. This is where I am today. Studio Owner of Studio1410 - Tim Swoboda Photography.

Advice for others

If you want to have a brick and mortar business - remember this question "how will my customers find out about me?" - Marketing is where it is at. I don't care what business you have are or contemplating starting - making your customers aware of you and what you do will be THE most important aspect of running your business. Make sure......I can't stress this enough......MAKE SURE..... that you have enough money for marketing / promotion. Think about your business, put the details on paper, then CREATE A MARKETING PLAN. Read about marketing, get audio books on marketing, talk to marketing experts, learn to love it as much as you love sunny days or doing your favorite hobby - marketing will make or break your business.